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OT: 2018 World Cup Thread

Gotta love all these countries’ respective fans turning out all over Russia for these matches.

Have been fun to watch.....and getting more interesting day-by-day.

Somewhat like the NBA, the game of soccer seems to be getting more and more physical. Just curious for the soccer fans were.....is it time to add a second official?


The game has gotten significantly less physical. Games used to be bloodbaths. In the 86 Cup Maradona took so many fouls he had to take pain killers to get through the tournament. Big time players are protected now for the most part. Very similar to the NBA. The physicality of the 1980s is gone.
 
The game has gotten significantly less physical. Games used to be bloodbaths. In the 86 Cup Maradona took so many fouls he had to take pain killers to get through the tournament. Big time players are protected now for the most part. Very similar to the NBA. The physicality of the 1980s is gone.


Shows what I know, thanks for the historical info. Have watched more soccer in the last two weeks than the last two decades, am enjoying it, was just surprised, especially with guys getting held / mugged on corner kicks.
 
Shows what I know, thanks for the historical info. Have watched more soccer in the last two weeks than the last two decades, am enjoying it, was just surprised, especially with guys getting held / mugged on corner kicks.

Don't be afraid to become a Tottenham
Hotspur fan come EPL season in August. Gives you a nice Saturday morning match to have on in the background, loaded with great young talent, brand new awesome stadium opening this year (will host NFL games too), and their colors are Blue & White!
 
Don't be afraid to become a Tottenham
Hotspur fan come EPL season in August. Gives you a nice Saturday morning match to have on in the background, loaded with great young talent, brand new awesome stadium opening this year (will host NFL games too), and their colors are Blue & White!
Lol, you should be disbarred for that post.
 
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Shows what I know, thanks for the historical info. Have watched more soccer in the last two weeks than the last two decades, am enjoying it, was just surprised, especially with guys getting held / mugged on corner kicks.

check out this foul that was not called in the 82 World Cup....Toni Schumacher levels Patrick Battiston of France
 
Don't be afraid to become a Tottenham
Hotspur fan come EPL season in August. Gives you a nice Saturday morning match to have on in the background, loaded with great young talent, brand new awesome stadium opening this year (will host NFL games too), and their colors are Blue & White!

Root for Liverpool ya fool!

GEESH!

Liverpool > Tot's all day.
 
Gotta love all these countries’ respective fans turning out all over Russia for these matches.

Have been fun to watch.....and getting more interesting day-by-day.

Somewhat like the NBA, the game of soccer seems to be getting more and more physical. Just curious for the soccer fans were.....is it time to add a second official?
They already added the second official using the eye in the sky with the VAR. @SUPERTODD is dead on about the physicality of the game. What they need to do is get tougher on the flopping which has now crossed over into the NBA.
 
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Big Ten officials have to be loving watching the start inconsistency of World Cup refs.
 
They already added the second official using the eye in the sky with the VAR. @SUPERTODD is dead on about the physicality of the game. What they need to do is get tougher on the flopping which has now crossed over into the NBA.
La Jolla is much more attuned to the game than I am but I think the flopping is much less blatant and prevalent than what I've seen in past years.
 
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Don't be afraid to become a Tottenham
Hotspur fan come EPL season in August. Gives you a nice Saturday morning match to have on in the background, loaded with great young talent, brand new awesome stadium opening this year (will host NFL games too), and their colors are Blue & White!

Surprised you aren’t offering him a free soda for becoming a fan :)
 
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La Jolla is much more attuned to the game than I am but I think the flopping is much less blatant and prevalent than what I've seen in past years.

I am not a soccer fan but I've tried watching some since this is the big event. The flopping usually makes me turn the channel. It's the same thing every time... the player loses all muscular function in mid air, writhes on ground in severe pain while holding shin, magically all better 30 seconds later. You'd think the routine would make it less believable but apparently it's just part of the game.
 
I am not a soccer fan but I've tried watching some since this is the big event. The flopping usually makes me turn the channel. It's the same thing every time... the player loses all muscular function in mid air, writhes on ground in severe pain while holding shin, magically all better 30 seconds later. You'd think the routine would make it less believable but apparently it's just part of the game.

It is the worst part of the game, but every game has negatives. NBA playoff basketball is barely watchable. There are different rules for different players based upon their “superstar” status. Baseball games take 4+ hours now. The Steelers went a whole regular season once without a holding penalty. Etc...

It is very hard to stop diving because the game is played at such a high pace. You really have to watch a game live to appreciate how fast the game can be. I do wish they would institute a rule whereby if you stay down for more than a minute you must stay off the field for over 5 minutes or something like that. I got kicked in my ankle really hard in a pickup game the other night and spent the rest of the game in pain. I even said some curse words. I did not fall over and act like I was shot. Didn’t want to let the other person know they had hurt me. I think it’s a cultural thing maybe.
 
6-1, England over Panama

The Senegal - Japan game was tied, 1-1, at the half. The 2nd half has been entertaining.
 
Japan ties it at the 77 min mark, 2-2. Senegal's GK and defense fell apart. The GK tried to punch the ball out, and fell over a Japanese player, and never got himself back in position.
 
It is the worst part of the game, but every game has negatives. NBA playoff basketball is barely watchable. There are different rules for different players based upon their “superstar” status. Baseball games take 4+ hours now. The Steelers went a whole regular season once without a holding penalty. Etc...

It is very hard to stop diving because the game is played at such a high pace. You really have to watch a game live to appreciate how fast the game can be. I do wish they would institute a rule whereby if you stay down for more than a minute you must stay off the field for over 5 minutes or something like that. I got kicked in my ankle really hard in a pickup game the other night and spent the rest of the game in pain. I even said some curse words. I did not fall over and act like I was shot. Didn’t want to let the other person know they had hurt me. I think it’s a cultural thing maybe.

I think you're right about it being cultural. There's something about pain related theatrics. I watched a video of firecrackers being thrown on soccer fields and the players all acted like they were dying. When they'd go off near stadium workers they would just walk away.

For me, the diving is annoying because it's not playing the game honestly. Get off the ground and play. If a baseball player pretended to have a seizure on the ground everytime he takes an inside pitch... everybody would want to kick his ass. For some reason it's an accepted part of soccer though.
 
I think you're right about it being cultural. There's something about pain related theatrics. I watched a video of firecrackers being thrown on soccer fields and the players all acted like they were dying. When they'd go off near stadium workers they would just walk away.

For me, the diving is annoying because it's not playing the game honestly. Get off the ground and play. If a baseball player pretended to have a seizure on the ground everytime he takes an inside pitch... everybody would want to kick his ass. For some reason it's an accepted part of soccer though.

One of the best books I have ever read is titled “How Soccer Explains the World.” It is a series of vignettes about soccer in different countries which linked how their culture is nearly identical to the way they play soccer. Diving, for instance, is totally a cultural thing. You almost never see Japan or South Korea dive. It’s dishonorable. Nearly every country surrounding the Mediterranean and in the Middle East does. One of the neatest parts of the game is that the whole world plays it and every nations plays it differently.

I used to play agains a team of Moroccans. If you looked at them wrong anywhere near the penalty area they would dive. Good referees can deal with it because they do it so often it actually costs them when they do draw a legitimate penalty. Bad refs get fooled.
 
That right winger for Senegal was blazing fast. What a revelation. Love seeing these young players who play for minor clubs blowing up on this huge stage.
 
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